Calvo: Guam safe from NKorea

Mar. 28, 2013
|

Written by

Jerick Sablan

Pacific Daily News

The governor is urging residents to remain calm in light of another threat from North Korea.

On Tuesday, North Korea's state-run media, Korean Central News Agency, published a statement from officials saying they're on high alert.

"From this moment the (Korean People's Army) Supreme Command will put on the highest alert all the field artillery units including strategic rocket units and long-range artillery units which are assigned to strike bases of the U.S. imperialist aggressor troops in the U.S. mainland and on Hawaii and Guam and other operational zone in the Pacific as well as all the enemy targets in South Korea and its vicinity," the release states.

In response, Gov. Eddie Calvo assured the community that "we are adequately protected from an unlikely attack from North Korea."

The governor said he spoke with the commander of Joint Region Marianas, Adm. Tilghman Payne, regarding the North Korea threat and was assured that Guam is protected.

During a press conference yesterday, the governor was asked what steps can Guam take in response to the threat.

Calvo said representatives from Guam Homeland Security and Joint Region Marianas have had briefings about the U.S. military presence on island and in the Asia-Pacific region.

Contingencies

Calvo said he couldn't provide the details about the military assets Guam has, but reiterated he's confident the island is protected.

"Without getting into any detail I feel very comfortable about the position Guam is in," Calvo said. "That being said we have to be prepared for all contingencies."

Calvo said he's bringing together all the necessary local government representatives with Joint Region Marianas to review plans for a possible attack.

Calvo said that Guam Homeland Security is prepared for a nuclear attack and had a large simulated response in 2007. That exercise, TOPOFF 4, involved how Guam's emergency response community would inform residents to shelter in place in case of radioactive exposure, Calvo said.

(Page 2 of 3)

"It's important, especially in times such as this, to review all the plans we have. Also, for everyone to be clear in their responsibilities in the most unlikely event that hostilities will occur," Calvo said.

'Actual war'

North Korea's threat comes after the U.S. and South Korean militaries have been conducting regularly scheduled drills on land this month. The Pentagon said at least one B-52 bomber was flown over South Korea.

According to the North Korean press release, the "U.S. nuclear war racket has gone beyond the danger line and entered the phase of an actual war, defying the repeated warnings from the army and people of the (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)."

"The U.S. let B-52 formation deployed in (Andersen Air Force Base) on Guam fly into the sky above (South Korea) at around (8 a.m.) on March 25. The formation staged a nuclear striking drill with simulated targets in the depth of the DPRK from around (11:50 a.m.) and revealed it to the public," officials stated.

Calming forces

According to The Associated Press, analysts say China may be reaching the point where it needs to take steps to calm its ally.

China's foreign policy team under recently installed President Xi Jinping "could be more tough on North Korea, as they are more irresponsible in their rhetoric and that will hurt China's interests," said Shen Dingli, an international relations expert and North Korea watcher at Shanghai's Fudan University, the report states.

South Korea and the United States have signed a new military plan that lays out how the allies will communicate with each other and react to any future North Korean aggression.

The signing comes amid North Korean threats to attack the allies over their joint military drills and recent punishing U.N. sanctions aimed at Pyongyang's latest nuclear test.

Alleged provocation

The Associated Press reported in February that North Korea successfully launched a satellite into orbit through the use of a rocket. About two weeks ago, media reported that North Korea threatened the United States.

(Page 3 of 3)

The first threat came after the U.N. unanimously passed sanctions set out to minimize North Korea's financial capabilities to further pursue nuclear technology after it ran nuclear tests on Feb. 12.

Since the sanctions, North Korea has expressed its anger at the alleged provocations of the U.S. and its supposed disregard in complying with the armistice, which ended the Korean War in 1953.

Channel News Asia reported that military tension on the Korean peninsula is at its highest levels in years.

Last week, North Korea named Andersen Air Force Base in a threat saying its missiles could reach the base.

Local government officials and military officials assured Guam residents that the island is safe from any attacks.

"The comments from North Korean leaders is yet another provocative act that further isolates them from neighbors in the region and the rest of our international community," Guam Delegate Madeleine Bordallo stated.

"This action continues to demonstrate the importance of the rebalance to the increasingly vital Asia-Pacific region. I hope U.S. lawmakers will realize that unnecessary delays in the Guam and broader Asia-Pacific realignments make our allies question our commitment to the region."